Dance For Me
by SlightlyDerangedKT
Summary: Serena Carmichael is a marvelous dancer who has just been accepted to the American Ballet Company. Things are fine until she meets Darien Johnston, charming pre-med Columbia student, who suddenly turns her life upside down.
1. Prologue

I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its characters tear

I came up with this story after watching Center Stage for the umpteenth time (I love that movie!) It has nothing to do with the movie (not really), but just for the record, I don't own it either.

Anyways I hope you enjoy!

It was a crowded morning in New York City. The streets were littered with cabs full of angry, impatient people, yelling obscenities, hoping it would cause the bumper-to-bumper traffic to move. Horns honking, people yelling, and tires screeching were all heard, causing those who it offended to answer back in their most obnoxious ways.

Except for one.

A small woman sat in the back of a taxi that was stuck in the dead center of typical New York traffic, loving every minute of it. She looked no more than 20, if that, with soft golden hair that reached her shoulders. She gazed excitingly out of the cab's windows at the wonders of the amazing city and mentally added the places she wanted to visit to her to do list. The cab once again lurched forward as they made their way to the building, which was the "headquarters" of the American Ballet Company, one of the nation's leading and prestigious ballet companies.

It had been her dream to become a ballerina, ever since she was a child and she had watched a performance of The Nutcracker on television. She admired the grace and poise of each dancer, and marveled at their flexibility and the way they seemed to fly through the air when they leaped across the stage. She loved it especially when they danced on their toes, seeming so weightless that they could balance on their toes. It would be several years after that when she realized the side effects of obtaining that look of complete weightlessness.

Soon after that, she began ballet classes at a small company in her town, being taught by someone who had been taught by a student of George Balanchine himself. The teacher quickly recognized her talent, and began teacher her privately in order to help her grow into the marvelous dancer she was today.

The cab stopped in front of an impeccably clean marble white building and she marveled at its size. She could see people dancing through the windows, longing desperately to join them. The driver came and opened her door, allowing her to step out before retrieving her luggage from the back.

She smiled at her new home, as she brushed a few strands of hair from her eyes. She thanked the driver as she opened her purse and paid him, making sure to give him a large tip.

"Have a good day, Miss Carmichael", the driver said politely, as he returned to his car and drove off and quickly vanished from her vision.

She bend down and picked up her bags and began walking towards the doors that were in front of her, her head held high and a smile on her face.

Today would be a good day indeed for Serena Carmichael.


	2. Chapter 1

I do not own them, wish I did, but, alas, I don't. Oh well.

New Chapter. Here you go. Please R&R!

Serena walked in through the golden double doors that led to the lobby, where she saw women in business suits, along with small girls walking around dressed in the usual dancewear. She felt instantly at home.

She smiled as she walked up to the front desk, setting her stuff on the floor and politely waited for the receptionist to end her phone call. She was slightly taken aback when the young lady behind the desk looked at her with a disgusted look upon her face, as she turned around to face the other direction, still speaking on the phone.

The smile quickly vanished from Serena's face, a frown replacing it, as she picked up her bags and began to turn and walk away.

"May I help you?"

Serena turned around and saw an older woman with long flowing raven back hair, halfway pulled up into a bun, which sat at the back of her head. She was extremely beautiful and poised, most likely a dancer when she was younger.

"Hello? Do you need any help?" the older woman asked again.

Serena quickly broke herself from the gaze of the woman as she held out her hand, smiling brightly.

"Hello! I'm Serena Carmichael. I'm one of the new company members. I was told to check in here today for my room assignment, along with a company schedule."

"It's very nice to meet you, Serena, and yes you were told correctly, Here's the company schedule and let me just look up your room number, and you'll be on your way. My name is Sestuna, by the way."

Serena smiled kindly at the older women in thanks before looking over the schedule.

_7:00AM-8:00AM: Breakfast_

_9:00AM-11:00AM: Company Class_

_11:00AM-12:00PM: Woman's Class/Men's Class_

_12:00PM-1:00PM: Lunch_

_1:00PM-3:00PM: Pas de duex Class_

_3:00PM-5:00PM: Leisure Time_

_5:00PM-6:00PM: Dinner_

_6:00PM-7:00PM: Private lessons_

_6:00PM-12:00AM-Leisure Time, for those of you who are not having a private lesson_

_12:00AM-Dorm Check IN_

_12:30AM-Lights Out_

"Wow this seems pretty rigorous", Serena said, shock apparent in her voice. She never had to work this much before in one day, but I guess it's what comes with the package of being a dancer.

"It seems bad once you first begin, but after a week or two, you should be quite used to it, and it will become habit."

"You were a dancer here, weren't you?"

"Yes, when I was younger. I had a serious injury during a performance of the Nutcracker. I tore my ACL and when it was repaired, I couldn't perform up to scratch, so they let me go. They gave me a pretty good deal, though. Head of Staff, Chief Publicist and I teach private lessons, although I cannot dance as well as I did in the past. I guess it was the least they could do for their star."

Serena stared at her. Had she heard correctly? Was this woman seriously the Prima Ballerina? Wait a minute; didn't she say her name was Sestuna…?

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE SESTUNA MEIOH!"

The older woman chuckled, as the other receptionist rolled her eyes and went back to talking on the phone.

"Yes, I am Sestuna Meioh."

"YOU'RE MY IDOL! YOU'RE THE REASON I BEGAN DANCING!"

The older woman chuckled again. "Well, Serena. I'm flattered."

"Oh my god! I can't believe it's you! Here in the flesh! I think I'm dreaming."

"No, Serena, you definitely are not dreaming. I am glad to know that I have a fan though." Sestuna smiled benignly at the young woman in front of her.

Serena smiled back at her, liking the older woman very much, not just because she was the one person she had fantasized about meeting in person since she was five years old. The woman was kind and just made everyone feel at ease around her.

"Well, Serena, it was a pleasure meeting you. Here is your room key, and your room is 417, which on the fourth floor. I hope you enjoy your time here, and I sincerely hope we meet again soon."

The older woman winked at her, before smiling and disappearing into her office. Serena looked at the key in her hand before picking up her bags and walking towards the elevator, a huge smile upon her face. Oh yes, she would definitely like it here.


	3. Chapter 2

Thanks to all of you who left me comments! It's been extremely helpful and it makes me a better writer. Thank you guys so much!

I don't know how this chapter is going to end up. I'm kind of in a schmaltzy mood, as I've been listening to As Long As You're Mine and For Good from the Wicked Soundtrack. sigh I really want to see the musical. Oh well.

You know the drill. I don't own Sailor Moon or Center Stage, both of which are what this story is loosely based on. Please Read and Review!

Serena dragged her massive amount of luggage up the stairs to room 417, gasping for air when she finally set it down in front of the door. She wiped a red, sore hand across her hot and sweaty forehead as she leaned against the bland, crème colored walls that reflected the bright fluorescent lights, efficiently lighting up the narrow hallway.

She reached into her pants pocket for the worn looking key and slid it into the keyhole of her door. The lock clicked loudly out of the hole, allowing her access to the room. She bent over and hoisted her two duffel bags over her shoulders and reached to turn the doorknob to open the old wooden door.

Just as she made to push the door open, the doorknob flew out of her hand as a young woman with shimmering blonde hair that ended right in the middle of her back, opened it from inside. Blue met blue, although this woman's eyes were at least a shade darker than Serena's, hers being the color of the sky on a warm, summer day. They stood in the doorway staring at each other, taking in the uncanny similarities between the two. Several moments past, then the young woman smiled brightly and stuck her hand out in order to shake Serena's.

"Hello! I'm Mina Anderson! They said my new roommate would be coming today, so I guess that must be you, 'cause you obviously have the room key, which makes you Serena! I hope you enjoy ABT! I know I do. Well, you sure do have a lot of stuff there. Do you need any help? I'm sure I can help. I don't have to be anywhere for a while, so I guess I will help. Here, let me take those bags for you."

She lifted the duffel bags off of Serena's shoulder and dragged them into the quaint room. Serena stood in the hallway, staring dumbfounded at Mina's retreating form. Did she always talk this much? Well, at least being around her will never be boring.

Serena grabbed her suitcases and hauled them into her new home, smiling at how her luck had turned out already.

Several hours later, Serena lay on her newly made bed, sweaty and extremely smelly from unpacking all of her belongings and arranging her half of the room. Mina was off taking her private lesson right now, but in the short span of time she had helped Serena unpack her belongings, Serena basically had heard her entire life story. From what she heard, Mina was nothing short of spectacular. She had the worst life could send her; divorced parents, the premature death of her older sister, Karen, bankruptcy, among other things, and yet, she still managed to seem so glad to be alive.

Serena smiled to herself as she slid out of bed to roam her room. She decided that she wanted to learn how to be more like Mina, so happy and outgoing, which Serena solely lacked. She strolled up and down Mina's side of the room, looking through all of the pictures that were tacked up on the walls. Most were of Mina and what she assumed was her sister, Karen, from Mina's description of her. She was very beautiful, with hair the color of Mina's, only much shorter, falling just around her shoulders, and eyes of the same shape, but a deep emerald green. She looked at the date at the corner of the picture. March 26, 1999. She noticed that the picture was taken not three months before the tragic car accident that took her life. The two girls were smiling happily, and from what she knew, Karen had just turned eighteen and she was taking, at the time, a thirteen-year old Mina out to celebrate with her. Neither of them knew that in three months what would happen.

Serena sighed, her good mood vanishing almost instantly as feelings of sadness for her new friend took its place. She knew Mina was at least somewhat okay with it, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that Mina was concealing much more than what she let on. Serena sighed again, and then walked begrudgingly towards her en suite bathroom that only her and Mina would have to share, and as far as dorm bathrooms go, it was extremely lavish. The room itself was extremely spacious, covered in burgundy tile with pink trimming, with a large enough countertop and mirror for two people, and it came with two sinks as well, but the one thing that surprised Serena the most was the giant Jacuzzi tub and shower. She quickly noted to test the Jacuzzi out later.

She shut and locked the door before turning on the hot water along with the showerhead and preparing for her shower. She undressed herself and gingerly stepped under the warm stream of water. She quickly washed and conditioned her hair with her strawberry and vanilla scented shampoo. She turned the hot water up just a little, in order to allow some more warmth in order to relax her sore back muscles from lugging her things up the stairs and the constant bending over in order to retrieve things from her suitcase.

She turned the water off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping the towel around herself and walking into the room, where Mina was busy divesting herself of the sweat drenched deep purple leotard and brushing her long blonde hair out from its makeshift bun that had previously rested on top of her head. Mina turned around, noticing Serena, and smiling brightly.

"Well, it's about time you got out of the shower. I thought you were going to drown yourself in there."

Serena giggled, blushing bright red, realizing it had never registered to her how much time she had spent in there.

"Well, get dressed! You and I are going to go clubbing. I'm going to show you what a good time is."

Serena smiled, before nodding furiously as she ducked into the bathroom in order to dress herself before beginning her search for an outfit for the evening.

Serena studied herself in Mina's floor length mirror, making sure her outfit was ok enough. She felt extremely self-conscious in the revealing outfit Mina had picked out for her. She didn't see what was so wrong with her original outfit. It was a tasteful black skirt with a nice shirt. Serena felt comfortable and she thought she looked nice, but apparently nice wasn't enough, as Mina came out of the bathroom after her shower, sighing loudly, and dragging Serena to her own closet and picking out some clothes of her own, and told her to go change.

Now, she was dressed in a baby blue halter-top that was extremely low cut, and short black mini-skirt with strappy black heels, and looked, as Mina said, hot, which apparently she didn't have in her wardrobe.

"Serena, come into the bathroom. I'm gonna do your makeup."

Serena sighed loudly, as she walked into the bathroom, realizing there was no way getting out of going dressed like this. She saw Mina hunched over the counter applying the last of her makeup before backing up and examining herself in the mirror. She was wearing a simple purple spaghetti strapped tank top, the same color as the leotard she had been wearing earlier, and a pair of black flared leg pants with another pair of strappy heels.

"Wow…Serena! You look awesome! See! I told you that you would! You looked so plain in that outfit of yours, but now you look hot!"

"But Mina I feel extremely uncomfortable."

"That's because you've never worn something like this before. I guarantee by the end of the night you'll feel great, especially when all the guys flock to you because of your killer body. Now, come here so I can do your makeup."

Serena, blushing, sat on the countertop, while Mina laid out her assortment of makeup next to her.

"You don't need base because you have such lovely skin, so I'm just gonna start with eye shadow. Don't worry. It's not gonna be like stage makeup. Just close your eyes."

Serena did as she was told, and felt the small brush pass over the skin of her eyes. She heard Mina press into small container and then she felt the brush against her other lid.

"Open, and look up."

Mina quickly began applying mascara and then eyeliner, before adding a small coat of lip gloss to her lips.

"Ok you're done."

Serena hopped off the counter and turned around and looked in the mirror. Her eyelids were a semi dark blue, which brought out the color of her eyes very well, and her lips were smooth looking and shiny.

"Wow! Mina! I do look great!"

"See, I told you. Now, brush your hair and part it on the side."

Serena quickly fixed her hair, with a little help from Mina, and they finally were ready to go. They linked arms and walked out of their room together, both smiling brightly.

When they arrived to the first club, they quickly went in after flashing their IDs, verifying that they were in fact both eighteen years old, and managed to find a table without too much trouble. They ordered a couple of virgin margaritas as they watched the club fill with people until the point where it was impossible to breathe.

The chatted animatedly, sipping their drinks, as Mina surveyed the room, pointing out potential males among the crowd. Serena joined in on the fun Mina was having, scouting the room herself, when she found a gorgeous blonde haired man make eyes at Mina. She giggled to herself when she caught his eye and mouthed "Come over" to him. He smiled, as he made his way through the crowd towards their table.

"Hey, Serena, he's pretty cute. What about him?" Mina said excitedly.

"Yeah he's fine," said Serena, not really paying attention to Mina, but to the young man who had now reached their table.

"Hey, Mina, I think someone's here to see you."

"Huh? Where…?" Mina trailed off as she turned and saw the young man standing before her, dressed in a casual form-fitting shirt, and very stylish black pants, looking extremely handsome. His dirty blonde hair was slightly tousled with the just got out of bed look that looked so incredibly sexy.

"May I have this dance?" he asked her, his voice rumbling through his chest.

Mina only dumbly nodded as she rose out of her seat and followed him out to the dance floor. The man turned around and smiled at Serena who simply smiled back and waved him goodbye. Once they disappeared from her vision, she immediately felt uneasy. She was in a place she had never been before in a city she had never been before. She decided to move away from the table to the bar, because, for some reason, she felt safer around a lot of people.

She picked up her drink and carefully made her way through the crowd. She made her way past all the couples dancing, trying not to look at them, or to feel left out. She bowed her head as she walked past them, not really noticing where she was going, until she walked headlong into someone.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to run into…you." She looked up and found herself staring into gorgeous deep ocean blue eyes.

"It's quite alright. Really." A deep rumbling voice shook her from her reverie as she stepped back and took in his appearance. He was about a foot taller than her with midnight black hair that fell down in all the right places. He was wearing a navy blue shirt and a pair of khaki pants over his body that was noticeably well built.

"Are you sure?" She noticed that he was wearing a most peculiar expression on her face, and she realized that she had just blatantly checked him out.

"Yes, I'm positive. Now, let me buy you a drink because you seemed to have lost yours."

She looked down at the ground and noticed the glass that had carried her margarita had slipped out of her hand and crashed to the floor.

"Thank you." She blushed as she followed him to the bar.

"My name is Darien Johnston, by the way, just so you're not too weirded about a stranger buying you a drink."

She smiled at him brightly. "Thank you. I am Serena Carmichael. I am a dancer at the American Ballet Theater."

"A dancer. Impressive." He turned to the bartender and ordered her drink.

"What is it you do, Mr. Johnston." She asked.

"I am a pre-med student at Columbia, majoring in biochemistry. I plan on being a pediatrician when I finish."

"Well, that sounds interesting." She smiled as he handed her the drink.

"It is, though, I'm not sure how interesting dancing is. Sounds dreadfully boring."

She spit her drink out all over the bar and gaped at him.

"Boring! How can you say it's boring? Have you even seen a ballet? It's telling a story without words, showing emotion and expressing feelings only through dance. It's beautiful."

"Would you care to show me how?" He smiled, and she felt her heart melting. He was so gorgeous and handsome, but was he really suggesting what she thought he was suggesting?

" Excuse me?"

"I mean, would you care to dance with me, just to prove me wrong?" He was smiling even broader now, and she felt her heart being reduced to nothing but a puddle.

"Sure."

He placed her drink down on the bar as he grabbed her hand and lead her to the middle of the dance floor. She glanced around nervously and noticed how all the couples seemed to be so close; there was no room to squeeze even a slip a paper between them. She gulped. Surely he didn't mean to dance like this, right?

"Darien, I don't think I can dance like this."

"Why not? It's not that hard. You just have to loosen up, first. Here let me help you." He pushed her hair aside and began slowly massaging her back. She closed her eyes and sighed as his fingers worked magic on her back. She slowly leaned back against his chest as he continued to massage her back.

"Feel better?" she nodded. "Good. Let's dance."

A loud rap song came through the speakers as he draped her arms around his broad shoulders, then wrapping his arms around her slender waist, pulling her closer so she was plastered against his body. She blushed as she bowed her head as they began moving with the music. He slipped a finger under her chin and lifted her face up so that her eyes met his as they grinded against each other.

She looked to the side and watched people next to her move and slowly picked up the idea. She began grinding her hips into his as she laced her fingers in his hair. She heard him groan softly as his hands began roaming over her back. She rotated her hips, dancing just as dirty as the couples next to her; all the while her eyes were fixated on his. He slipped his hand down her back, over her hip to rest on her upper thigh, his fingers playing with the hem of her skirt. She looked at him scared and he picked up on the hint.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna do anything you don't want me to do." His lips grazed against her ear, causing her to shiver as he wrapped her leg around his waist, dipping her back. She clung on to his shoulders tighter they began dancing even more provocatively. Serena was just getting really into it, when Mina came over and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Serena, we have to go. It's already 11:30 and we need to get back."

Serena frowned and turned back to Darien. "I'm sorry, Darien, but I need to get back. Thank you so much for the dance. I had fun." She began walking away, when Darien grabbed her upper arm.

"Wait, I want to see you again."

She smiled. "I think I'd like that. I'm at the American Ballet Theater, on 5th Avenue. Just stop by after 7 and ask for me at the front desk."

"Okay, I'll do that. Goodbye Serena Carmichael."

She waved goodbye as her and Mina raced out the door. Darien frowned, as he went and sat down at the bar. The young man who had been dancing with Mina came over and sat next to him.

"Hey Dare, that was one hot chick. I hope you got her number."

"Sort of, Andrew. She's at the American Ballet Theater."

"Wow, so was the chick I was with. Long blonde hair, great body, just simply beautiful. Maybe they know each other."

"Maybe."


	4. Chapter 3

_So I am finally updating this thing. I would have done so last night, except I was insanely tired and desperately needed to go to bed. But anyways it's here now. Please RR! It's helping me a great deal._

_Also, there are many, many things in this chapter you might not understand unless you're a dancer, so if you have any questions just send me an email, and I'll explain them._

The sunlight drifted through the shifts of the shades, which covered the single window in the small yet cozy dorm room, and fell on the face of a tiny form, wrapped in several blankets. Serena slept soundly, dreaming of a certain dark haired man who had shown her the ways of dirty dancing the night before.

Her alarm clock rang shrilly as she groaned and wrapped the blankets around herself in an attempt to block out the horrendous sound. She slowly drifted back to sleep, the incessant beeping now blocked out of her mind.

On the opposite side of the room, Mina's eyes shot wide open at the sound of Serena's alarm and sat quietly in her bed, willing Serena to turn the damn thing off. When Serena's sleeping form did not budge, Mina angrily threw her blankets off and climbed out of bed. She stalked to the other side of the room, pounded Serena's clock into silence and leaned over the owner's sleeping body.

"SERENA! IT IS TIME TO GET UP!"

Serena let out an unearthly shriek as she jumped three feet in the air, her blankets flying off around her, landing in a messy pile on Mina's feet.

"God! Mina I was getting up! Geez."

"Ok, well I just wanted to tell you that class starts in an hour." Mina smiled sweetly at a fuming Serena before walking into the bathroom.

Serena slowly slide out of bed and walked to the dresser. She pulled open the drawers, searching for her dancing outfit for today. She rummaged through the many leotards she had until she found a simple black on with spaghetti straps that crisscrossed in the back. She then found a pair of soft pink convertible tights, and quickly undressed to her skin. No underwear was allowed when dancing; that had been a rule even when she was young.

She slipped on the tights, pulling her feet through the holes at the sole of the foot, wrapping the rest of the tights high on her shin. She then pulled on her leotard, straightening the straps in the back.

She then found a pair of flip flops, putting them on, before picking up her dance bag, along with a brand new pair of soft crème colored satin pointe shoes. She dug into her bag, pulling out a box of hair supplies and then pulling her hair up into a bun at the top of her head. She then fastened all the stray hairs in place with bobby pins before tying a baby pink ribbon around it. She smiled at her appearance in the mirror, hoping that she would make a good first impression.

Mina came bounding out of the bathroom, also dressed, smiling at Serena hoping that Serena did not take the morning's events personally. When Serena returned the smile, the two grabbed their things and left through the door arm in arm.

The class was assembling at one end of the room, their bags strewn out across the floor when Mina and Serena walked in the studio. They quickly picked out a spot, and set their stuff down, starting on stretching and making their shoes comfortable to wear for class, when a tiny frail lady walked in the room, and a thick French accent was heard. The rest of the class quickly stood up and lined themselves up in front of what Serena assumed was the teacher.

"Good Morning class. It's lovely to be seeing your bright faces this morning. We have a new student who has joined us here at ABT." She motioned for Serena to come forward, who was already heartily embarrassed because she was not prepared as of yet.

"Her name is Serena Carmichael, so let's all give her a warm welcome." The rest of the students clapped for her, as she turned blushed.

"Class begins in fifteen minutes, Make sure you are at the barre when I begin. Serena, may I please speak to you for a moment."

Serena followed the older lady to the opposite side of the room, hoping the conversation would be short for she still needed to break in her shoes before class.

"I realize that you are new here, and do not yet know the teachers. I am Madam Simone and I will be your teacher for the company and female classes. Monsieur Pierre is the instructor for the Pas de deux classes, and Madam Meioh will be the head of your private lessons."

Serena stared at the small woman in shock. Had she said what she though she said?

"Excuse me, Madam, but did you just say that Madam Meioh will be my private lesson teacher? As in Sestuna Meioh?"

"Oui. She requested that she be your teacher, but I must impress upon you the seriousness of this matter. She is one of the best dancers that this company has seen for many years, and if there is anything that is not to her satisfactory, rest assured that she will work you until you are unable to stand, so it is better to have it perfect the first time around. Your first lesson is tonight at 6pm. Do not be late. Madam Meioh does not tolerate tardiness."

Serena nodded, and left to where Mina was sitting, who was busy cutting off the edge of her pointe shoes. Serena quickly picked up her own and began bending them between her hands, weakening the soles in order for them to mold better to her arch.

When lunch came, Mina and Serena dragged their sweaty bodies out of the studio and down towards the cafeteria. Serena's muscles were in a slight bit of pain, as she had never worked that hard in a class before. Serena had never seen so many wonderful dancers. They were all extremely talented, and they did not even cringe in pain, whereas Serena could not help massaging her legs at the end of the woman's class.

There was also one girl who had raven black hair who seemed to be the most talented of them all, and the teachers always had her demonstrate the routines during class. She seemed kind of uppity as she snubbed Serena from the very first moment of contact.

"Hey Mina, who was that girl in class? The one with the really dark black hair that danced wonderfully?"

"Oh her. That's Ray Henderson. She was recruited when she was fifteen years old, and has been here ever since. She's all the teachers' favorite. Not that I blame them, because she's a beautiful dancer, but her attitude definitely is the exact opposite."

"Oh I get you. That's why she glared at me this morning during class."

They quickly got into the lunch line, and loaded their trays with salad, and sugar free desserts. As dancers, they were both well aware of what gaining a few pounds could do to their careers, but they also made sure they did not become anorexic, so they watched their diets carefully.

"Well, Serena, I really wouldn't worry about it too much. She's probably just jealous because you dance much better than her."

"Haha Mina, right. She's an absolutely wonderful dancer."

"Whatever you say Serena."

"Welcome class! Grab your Pas de deux partner and we shall begin!" Serena quickly decided that Monsieur Pierre was definitely one of her favorite teachers. He was so energetic and just a tad bit feminine (AN: if you catch my drift…). She enjoyed being around him very much.

"Serena, today you will partner with Chad Montgomery. I am eager to see how well you two work together."

Serena nodded, and then turned to find this Chad guy, when someone tapped her on her shoulder.

"Hello, you must be Serena. I'm Chad, and I guess I am your partner for today."

Serena smiled at him, and blushed when she took in his looks. He had short messy brown hair that fell into his eyes and he was extremely muscular. He seemed like a nice guy.

"Okay class, we begin! Men, get down on one knee and hold your hands out to the lady. Girls, I want you to Pas de bourrée and then do a pirouette and grab onto the guys' hand into an arabesque penchée. Guys then stand up and take her in a promenade. Ok, did everyone get that? Good! Let's begin."

Serena smiled as Chad went down on one knee, holding his hands out to her. The music began and she danced towards him, her steps flawless. She kept complete eye contact on him, as she allowed him to lead her through the promenade.

"Wonderful! Simply splendid!" said Monsiuer Pierre excitedly.

"Okay! Class dismissed!"

The students filed out slowly with Serena and Mina at the end of the line. They were quickly discussing the day's events, when a voice was heard.

"Serena! Wait up for a second!"

Serena turned to see Chad calling her. He was racing to catch up, so she stopped Mina and told her to go ahead. Mina smiled and continued walking, just as Chad caught up to her.

"Hey Serena, I was wondering if you'd like to come with me to dinner tonight."

"I'd love to Chad, but I have a private lesson tonight."

"No problem. I'll be at your room at 8:30. What is it again?"

"417. Is it alright if have a small something to eat now? I'm kind of hungry."

"Sure, just make sure you leave room. I'll see you at 8:30 and make sure you dress up." He winked at her and then disappeared around the corner.

_Uh oh…Look like Darien has a little bit of competition! LoL. Anyways. Hope you liked it. I'll try to get the next part out as soon as I can. _


	5. Chapter 4

_Updating once again. I think Friday is going to be a regular update day so I guess for all you awesome people who actually like my story, look for updates then! Anyways…Please read and review, it helps me out a lot._

At about 6:30, Serena headed down to the small rehearsal room where she was told her private lesson for the evening would take place. She fixed her hair before she pushed open the door and walked into the dark room. She looked around, and when she noticed that she was alone, she set her bag on the floor, and slipped her pointe shoes on, wrapping the ribbons around her ankles in the manner which she had known since she had first been allowed to dance on her toes at the age of eleven.

She quickly stretched at the barre before slipping on a pair of legwarmers and a tight dance jacket that conformed to the shape of her upper body. She quickly took her place in the middle of the dance floor, positioning herself with one foot pointed behind the other and her arms stretched out in front of her,

She then began dancing the steps that she had learned long ago as she listened to the dance's music in her head. She had never had a more complicated dance to learn, not that the steps were necessarily hard, but the emotion and feeling behind it was overwhelming and she had worked extremely hard in order to perfect it. She had received a standing ovation from her performance, and the ballet scouts in the audience who had witnessed it quickly made sure she was at the next audition for their company.

It was a complicated mixture of turns and jumps all the while giving off the appearance that she was dying, a performance of Petipa and Ivanov at their best. Not every great dancer was fit for the role. It was something that had to be felt; it was pure, undiluted emotion that Serena felt every time she danced one of the most famous dances in the history of ballet.

She laid herself elegantly on the ground, signaling the end of the dance, breathing as heavily as if she had recently finished running a marathon. She waited silently, basking in the wonderful feeling she experienced, when she heard clapping coming from somewhere in the room.

She shot up and turned to see her idol leaning against the doorway dressed in dancewear that looked to have seen the best of its years some time ago. Her once black leotard was now almost a dark gray, the dance skirt was faded and the pink legwarmers that her legs donned were ratted around the edges. She wore canvas ballet flats, which were losing the toe and the heel extremely quickly. The one item that seemed relatively new was the burgundy dance jacket that she had wrapped around her torso.

"Bravo, Serena. I must say, I have never seen a performance of the Dying Swan from Swan Lake that was performed that well in a long time. You suit the role well. "

Serena blushed and stared at the floor, having received a compliment from one of America's greatest dancers.

"Thank you, Madam Meioh. I worked hard in order to express the sadness behind it."

"Sestuna, please, and that is evident. I don't think Raye Henderson would have been able to pull it off as well, and that's saying a great deal."

Serena blushed again, as Sestuna walked to the barre and stood in first position.

"Let's begin."

Serena only nodded and took her place behind the most renowned prima in her lifetime.

An hour later, Serena walked out of the studio with a huge smile on her face although she was drenched in sweat and her leg muscles ached immensely. The person instructing her privately was the one person she had fantasized meeting since she was five. Sestuna did work her hard, but that was the small price to pay in order to be the best, which Sestuna had been at one point in her life.

She reached her room and walked in silently, throwing her bag down in front of the door. She pulled her hair from the confines of the bobby pins and hair ties that had been there all day. She heaved an exhausted sigh as she walked towards her bed and laid down on it.

Mina strolled out of the bathroom and upon noticing Serena, ran and jumped on her bed, with Serena still in it.

"No time for sleeping! We have to get you ready for your date!"

Serena groaned loudly as she rolled out of bed and lazily slid towards the bathroom. Why did she have to tell Mina about the date with Chad?

"Don't worry, I already picked out your dress. It's hanging on the closet door. Now, hurry up and shower so we can fix your hair and do your makeup!"

Serena sighed and walked into the bathroom, slightly slamming the door behind her.

Serena strolled out of the shower half an hour later, slightly more awake and happier than she was when she went in. She was rid of the sticky sweat that had accumulated on her skin, and the stench that came with it. Her head adorned a fluffy pink towel that was attempting to dry her hair and the rest of her was covered in a matching bathrobe and fuzzy pink slippers.

She made her way towards the closet, noticing that Mina had disappeared, and found a gorgeous spaghetti strap baby blue dress made out of a silky material covered with a soft swishy fabric. The dress had to belong to Mina, for Serena could not remember owning anything this beautiful. She laid it on her bed and went in search for shoes, when she noticed matching high-heeled sandals against the wall next to the closet.

She quickly went to go blow dry her hair and brush her teeth so that she might be able to slip on the dress before her. When she finished, she slipped the dress off the hanger and felt the material between her fingers.

Mina burst through the door carrying a large bag filled to the brim with hair supplies. Serena gulped and laid the dress back on the bed.

"Oh good, you've already dried your hair. You're not allowed to put the dress on yet! We still have to do your hair and makeup! Didn't you know that the dress is always the last thing you put on? Follow me."

Serena slumped slightly and followed Mina back into the bathroom where she proceeded to curl and roll Serena's hair as she applied makeup to her face.

At about 8:15, Serena walked into the bedroom, and slipped on the soft blue dress, noticing that it fit her perfectly. It couldn't have possibly been Mina's. Mina was slightly larger in the bust and the hips than Serena, but it seemed as if the dress was made for her. She slipped on the heels and then walked towards the full-length mirror. She gasped when she saw her reflection. Mina certainly had done a good job. Her hair was pulled back into a half ponytail that had been pulled into a small bun, much like Sestuna's hair yesterday when the had first met. Her makeup was discreet but noticeable and accentuated Serena's eyes, the sky blue being brought out even more because of the dress.

Mina stepped out of the bathroom and squealed, running over to hug her new roomie.

"Oh Serena! You look absolutely gorgeous!"

Serena smiled as she hugged Mina. They both then turned to look at Serena in the mirror, squealing with delight.

"By the way, Mina. Where on earth did you get this dress?"

"Well, I went to Chanel once and I saw it, but it was the only one they had left, so I held it up and it seemed like it fit so I bought it without ever trying it on. I brought back here and realized that it didn't fit in the bust, but I had to keep it because I just couldn't return it. Plus, I don't think Chanel does returns. Although, it does seem to fit you nicely, so I think I'll just let you keep it."

Serena's eyes bugged out of her head. Was Mina serious? Chanel definitely wasn't exactly cheap, and Serena definitely didn't deserve such an expensive dress for doing nothing.

"Mina, I can't accept it. It must have cost you a fortune, and you never got the chance to wear it."

"Don't be silly! I want you to have it. Besides, you look absolutely perfect! Chad will go nuts."

Serena smiled, knowing that she wasn't going to win this fight. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror once more. She did look perfect.

A knock came at the door, causing both girls to jump. Serena went to pick up her purse and hugged Mina goodbye, thanking her for helping her get ready. Mina smiled back and pushed Serena towards the door, who then opened it.

"Is Serena the…Oh hey Serena…wow you look gorgeous!"

Serena blushed and smiled as she took in Chad's appearance. He was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt and royal blue tie. She noticed that they matched although not on purpose.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Chad. You want to go?"

"Sure let's go."

A young black haired man pushed through the doors to the lobby of impeccably clean marble building, walking up to the front desk where a young lady was speaking on the phone with her back facing him.

"Excuse me miss…"

She held up one finger in the air as she continued talking on the phone.

The young man cleared his throat and spoke a little louder.

"Excuse me, miss…"

The woman ignored him and began talking louder to her companion on the opposite end of the phone line.

"EXCUSE ME CAN I GET SOME HELP AROUND HERE!"

She said an irritable good-bye and slammed the phone down on the receiver.

"GOD! Some people have NO respect. God Damn! Could you not see that I was…on…the…phone?" Her voice trailed off as she turned around in her chair and faced the gorgeous man now glaring angrily at her. She leaned on her hands and smiled at him, batting her eyelashes.

"Hello, my name is Ann Smith. How may I be of service to you?" She openly flirted with the young man, who inwardly cringed at the sound of her voice.

"Darien Johnston, nice to meet you. Can you please tell me the room number of Serena Carmichael?"

The smile quickly vanished from her face as she angrily looked up the information.

"It's 417, which is on the 4th floor, 9th door on the left…"

She frowned even more and kicked the desk as the young man ran towards the staircase.

"415, 416, 417!" Darien straightened his shirt as he rapped his knuckles against the door. The sound of a lock was heard and the door opened slightly to reveal a blonde haired woman.

"Hi, I'm Darien Johnston. Is Serena here?"

"Mina Anderson, and no she isn't. She left about fifteen minutes ago on a date. I'm sorry, I'll tell her you stopped by." She shut the door softly and clicked the lock into place again.

Darien frowned slightly. The idea of Serena being on a date what wasn't with him unsettled him greatly. He walked down the hallway in deep thought about his next move.


	6. Chapter 5

_Hey guys I'm sorry this part didn't come out on Friday or Saturday! I was super freakishly busy and sleep deprived so I'm posting it now. Hope you enjoy and look for the next one this Friday! (I promise!) Also, just to clear some things up, this story is loosely based on Center Stage. Also, I'm making Darien's parents alive in this story, because I don't like the fact that he didn't have any throughout his whole life. That's sad! And to all you people who've left me comments, I truly do appreciate it, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!_

Serena strolled into the restaurant which from the outside looked rather expensive. She linked her arms through Chad's as they walked through the front doors that were held open by a rather short man with a black tuxedo on and had his hair slicked back. Serena marveled at the elegance and the ambiance calmed her frantic nerves slightly. Chad smiled at her as they walked towards the garcon, who was busily fixing his tie and smoothing back his hair.

"Bonjour monsieur. Welcome to _Atelier_. How may I be of service to you?"

"Yes I have a reservation for two for Montgomery at 9:00."

"Montgomery…Montgomery. Ah yes! I see. You requested private dining?"

"Yes that would be correct."

"Right this way please."

Chad gently grabbed Serena's hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing her knuckles before following the garcon towards their table. Serena took in the restaurant's appearance, the snow-white tablecloths, the tinkling of china as people ate, and the most magnificent chandelier she had ever seen. When they arrived at their private dining area, Chad dismissed the garcon and pulled out Serena's chair, nodding at her to sit down. She took a seat, and smiled as he sat across from her. Serena opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it as another waiter came in and handed them menus.

"Welcome to _Atelier_. Would you care for anything to drink while you are deciding?"

"Yes please. I would like a bottle of Château Lafite, year 1996for the lady and I."

"Right away sir."

The waiter disappeared as Serena stared at him blankly. Did he know that she was only eighteen?

"Is there anything wrong, Serena?"

"Chad, I am only eighteen. It's illegal for me to drink."

"Serena, don't worry. You could pass for twenty-five looking the way you do right now. I promise you that you will not get drunk. I just wanted to make sure you got the full experience. Plus, this restaurant is known for it's exceptionally large winery and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it. Now, look over that menu and order whatever you want."

Serena opened the menu and looked over the menu, noticing the outrageous prices. She looked over at Chad, who was busy looking over the menu as well. He didn't seem phased by the cost of the meal. She also looked at their wine list, and noticed that the wine he had ordered cost 300! And he didn't seem phased by that either! She looked over the menu again and noticed the foie gras. She had had foie gras once before, and found it delicious.

The waiter returned with their bottle of wine and two wine glasses. He popped the cork and poured a glass for her and Chad. Chad swirled it around and sipped it slowly, allowing himself a good taste.

"Hmm…delicious. We're ready to order now."

"As you wish. What would care for this evening?"

"I would like the Cuisses de Poulet à la moutarde de Dijon et sauce crèmée." Serena quickly looked through the menu and found what he had ordered. Chicken cooked with bacon and mustard and smothered in a white wine cream sauce.

"I shall have the same, but I would also like an order of pâté de foie gras."

"As you wish. I shall return shortly with your order."

The waiter left, as Serena picked up her glass and slowly drank the wine, savoring the taste. It was delectable. She had never had tasted anything as fruity and delicious as this. She looked over at Chad and smiled at him.

"So, Serena. Pâté?"

"I had it once at home. My ex-boyfriend took me to a French restaurant for our anniversary."

"Ex-Boyfriend? What happened to him?"

"We had a really big argument after I found out that I had been accepted to ABC. He had never been very supportive of my dancing, and he had always been lobbying for me to stop, but I couldn't let him get in the way of my dream, so I let him go. Not that it mattered because he was banging the town slut on the side and had been looking for a reason to end it with me to begin with."

"Oh well, I personally am glad that you came to ABC. I really like you. You're extremely beautiful and talented, even more so than Raye Henderson. Serena, I would very much like to kiss you right now."

Serena was taken aback by his admission, but smiled at him and slowly nodded her head.

Chad leaned over and softly captured her lips with his, gently grazing the skin of her cheek with his fingertips. She leaned into the kiss just slightly, pressing her lips against his with a bit more firmness.

Just then, she felt her mouth being pushed open as his tongue slid in, gliding against hers, as she desperately tried to push him away. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides as he continued his unwanted ministrations. He tried to control her as she struggled against him, screaming into his mouth. His hands roamed all over her backside, sliding the zipper of the dress down and slipping his hands under the fabric.

"Oh Serena…" he moaned against her lips. She took this opportunity and bit down on his lip hard, breaking the skin and drawing blood. One of his hands went instinctively to his lips and she pushed him away from her, throwing herself out of the chair, and grabbing her purse and running out of the restaurant.

Chad sat there, confused as he put a napkin against his lip in order to stop the bleeding. _Oh well,_ he thought._ I shall see her tomorrow._

Serena ran all the way down the dark New York street. She had no clue where she was at, and she stopped for a bit to catch her breath. She realized the back of her dress was open, so she zipped it up slowly, making sure it didn't get caught on the fabric. She let out uncontrollable sobs as the tears ran freely down her face. She felt like throwing up. How could have he taken advantage of her? Was she just that easy of a target?

She slowly trudged up the street in the direction she thought was towards the dorms. Her face was held down in shame and embarrassment as the tears continued to leak from her eyes.

The street was dark and she approached a corner without bothering to check where she was in order to get back to the dorm efficiently. She wanted nothing more at this point than to wash herself and crawl into her soft comfy bed and sleep. She then turned the corner at the end of the street and collided into something very hard and very warm.

She closed her eyes and felt herself falling backwards, expecting the sting of the impact and the tragedy of ruining the most perfect dress in the world. But the impact didn't come. Instead she felt strong arms wrapped around her waist as she was pressed against the very warm, very hard something she had collided into not seconds before.

She opened her eyes and found herself staring into pools of midnight blue, almost black in the light of the street lamp. She was breathing hard, her breaths coming out in tiny little puffs of smoke in the cold night air. She hadn't realized it was that cold and the man holding her now was definitely doing a good job keeping her warm.

She stepped back away from him and noticed some familiarities of the face that was now smiling at her. She then gasped in realization when it dawned on her who this man was.

"Darien? Is that you?"

The young man's smile grew even wider.

"Yes it is. Strange thing, though. I just came from your dorm, where your roommate told me that you were on a date."

"Yes, I was. I just left though."

"May I inquire as to why?"

"Because he wasn't my type."

"Ahh. I see. And what, pray tell, is your type?" His eyes twinkled mischievously.

She giggled softly before walking past him. It was so much fun flirting with him.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes, as a matter a fact, I would. I find you completely intriguing."

"Is that so?" She giggled again. He was running to catch up with her now.

"How about I take you out to dinner right now. I know this great place up ahead, and you can tell me all about 'your type' of man."

She looked at him skeptically. She remembered what he had said at the club last night, about how he would never try anything unless she told him to. She smiled brightly at him.

"Ok. I accept."

"Darien? Aren't I a little overdressed? I mean this isn't exactly the classiest place to be."

"Serena, don't worry about it. You look completely sensational. There has never been a girl as beautiful as you to step across the threshold of Mario's Pizzeria."

She blushed slightly as he took her hand and led her to a small table in the corner. A man tall man came out of the kitchen wearing a white shirt and an extremely stained apron. He walked over to their table, pulling out a small white paper tab and a short, stubby pencil.

"Hey Darien! Long time, no see! Who's the chick?"

"Hey Mario. Yeah, I know I haven't been here in a while. This is Serena Carmichael."

Mario whistled low, and waved his hand in front of his face.

"Man, Darien. You sure know how to pick 'em." Serena smiled, blushing at the comment made by the man who apparently owned the restaurant and knew Darien.

"Yeah, I guess I do. Can we have a pitcher of Coke and a large pizza? Serena, what would you like on it?"

Serena looked at him for a moment, thinking carefully about what he was asking her.

"Darien, are you sure you want me to pick. I have a very strange sense of taste."

"I assure you, anything that you choose will be fine. Isn't that right, Mario."

"Yes sir, it is. This man will eat anything except for anchovies."

Serena smiled brightly again as she turned to Mario and ordered.

"Fine. Then we'll have a large pizza with hamburger, Canadian bacon, and black olives. And bring a bottle of ranch dressing."

Mario smiled as he finished writing down their order, and nodded as he disappeared once again into the kitchen.

Darien looked at the girl sitting by him, and grinned ridiculously at her.

"You eat ranch dressing with your pizza?" he asked her, surprise evident in his voice.

"I eat ranch dressing with almost everything, and have done so since I was little. It's the world's greatest condiment."

"Yes, I agree with you whole-heartedly."

Mario returned fifteen minutes later with a steaming pizza and a large pitcher of Coke for the two. They immediately dug in, slathering each slice they ate with an enormous amount of ranch dressing, all the while making small talk, uncovering each other's past and ambitions. Once the food had been devoured, they simply enjoyed each other's company.

"So, Serena. How long have you wanted to be a dancer?"

Serena sighed as gripped onto the glass that was in front of her.

"I've wanted to be a dancer since I was little. I actually wanted to be a gymnast at first, but then I watched a performance of the Nutcracker on television when I was four years old, and all of my gymnastic dreams flew out the window. I wanted to be a ballerina and look just like the dancers did in that performance. Ever since, I've worked hard to achieve my goals, and now I'm at ABC. What about you? How long have you wanted to be a doctor?"

"I've always known I would be a doctor. Both my parents were doctors, but it's not like I'm being forced to follow in their footsteps or anything. I really want to be a doctor. I'm going to be a pediatrician, though, whereas my mother is an obstetrician and my father is an urologist. Personally, the idea of all that time spent around people's private areas is not something I would want to do for the rest of my life. We've actually been asked to leave restaurants before because they talk about their day at the hospital at dinner."

They both laughed loudly, and then the lateness of the evening settled in. Serena yawned and glanced at her watch and noticed that it was 11:17.

"Oh my gosh! Darien, I have to be back at the dorm in ten minutes! We have to leave now!"

Darien quickly threw some bills down on the table, and grabbed Serena's hand racing out the door, waving a goodbye to Mario. They ran down the street, Serena stumbling over the heels she had been wearing the whole night. They made it back to the dorm in record time, and ran in just as they were locking the doors.

"Darien, thank you. I had a great time tonight."

"Me too, Serena. May I see you again soon?"

"Yes I would like that. How about Saturday? We have no classes on the weekends."

"I would like that very much. Be prepared to have the time of your life on Saturday. I'll be here at 11 am to pick you up. I'll call you Friday to confirm."

She smiled at him and nodded her head as he leaned over and kissed her cheek softly.

"Goodnight Serena. I'll see you Saturday." He winked at her and walked out the doors. Serena waited until he disappeared from her view before she began towards her room, anticipating the fun that Saturday would bring.

_Whew! Hope you liked it! I'm sorry for all those people who like Chad! I had to make him kind of a bad guy in here because we couldn't have Serena fall for him. Don't worry; he'll make reappearance later! Please read and review!_


	7. Chapter 6 Part 1

_Hey guys it's Friday again, and I promised I'd have this next part out, so here it is! You guys know the drill; Please read and review_

Early Saturday morning, Serena sat before her closet contemplating what to wear without on the date with Darien that would be happening in less than one hour. He had called late last night to tell her to dress comfortably and that he would pick her up around 10:30am. Then they spent most of the night talking to each other. She ended up telling him all about that evening where they met up after the date-gone-wrong with Chad. He even came up to hear the next day during Pas de deux class to talk to her about.

_Flashback_

"_Hey Serena, what's up?"_

"_Chad? What the hell were you thinking last night, doing that to me? Do I look like someone who's easy to you? Don't you ever try anything like that again or I will make sure the police find you, and that is a promise!"_

"_Listen, Serena. I know. I'm sorry for the way I behaved last night. It was completely out of line, and I should have controlled myself. But I am extremely sorry and I would love to take you out to dinner again as a 'please forgive me, I'm begging you' meal."_

"_Sure I'd like that, but no where too fancy."_

"_Sounds great. Saturday afternoon okay?"_

"_Actually Chad, I can't do Saturday afternoon. I'm meeting up with a friend on Saturday and I'm spending the whole day with him."_

_End Flashback_

She would never forget the look on his face when she told him that she'd be spending Saturday with a man that wasn't him. He almost looked heartbroken and guilt reared its ugly head. However, she knew that he'd get over her quickly.

She rummaged through her closet and found a light blue tank top and a navy t-shirt that hung off the shoulders to pull over it. She then found a cute blue jean mini-skirt along with her favorite pair of Converses, the black ones that were old and grungy, and were the best pair of shoes she had ever owned. Had Mina been here to see this, she would have been exceptionally proud of her little Sere. She then laid them out on her bed before hopping into the shower quickly.

She returned about 45 minutes later, her skin smooth and sweet smelling and her hair wrapped in a towel. She blow dried her hair and then pulled half of it back in a very messy pile at the back of her head with the rest of her long golden hair flowing down her back. She then dressed herself after making sure her teeth were in fact brushed and clean and her makeup looked subtle.

Just then she heard a sharp knock at the door. After giving her hair one more good fluff and picking up her purse she walked to the door and opened it revealing a handsome Darien wearing a red and white striped button down shirt and a pair of jeans with black flip flops. He whistled low when he took in Serena's appearance, smiling when she blushed as he blatantly checked her out.

"Good Morning, m'lady. Your chariot awaits." He held out his arm for her to slip hers through and they went their way down the hall.

Once they had reached the lobby, Serena noticed the only car in the front was a royal blue 1967 Mustang Convertible with a black canvas top. Her mouth dropped open when she realized that they were, in fact, walking towards it.

"I cannot believe this is your car." She said, her voiced fill with awe.

"Yeah my dad bought it off some guy and we spent most of my teenage years fixing it up. It's got an eight-cylinder engine with dual mufflers and a full restored white leather interior. "

Serena stared at it in shock as he opened her door like a gentleman, allowing her to sit down before getting himself. He watched as she ran the tips of her fingers over the dashboard and the leather seats, as if she couldn't believe she was actually that close to such a beautiful car.

"I'm guessing it's to your liking?"

"Are you kidding! I've always wanted a 1967 Mustang. To me, it's the only kind of car worth driving."

"I'm inclined to agree with you, and now we must be on our way to our first stop. "

Serena nodded as he started the car and drove down the road.

_Ok I am really really sorry that this part is so short but I still need to fine tune the "first date" scene to just where I want it, so for right now it's stopped right here. I will update with the date scene as soon as I possibly can. Once again I'm really sorry that it's so short! Please don't chew me out!_


	8. Chapter 6 Part 2

Here it is! The long awaited date chapter. I do apologize for not getting this out sooner. I have been incredibly busy, but as I am now on spring break, I can update! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy!

The day could not have been anymore perfect for what Darien had in store for Serena. The sun was shining, there was not a cloud in the sky, and he had a gorgeous woman sitting next to him, reveling in the fact that she was indeed sitting in her dream car. She looked cute today, with a mini skirt that was on the short side and a top that bared her creamy shoulders to him. Her golden hair flew out behind her as they drove along. God, how had he wanted to run his fingers through her hair, aching to feel its silkiness with his fingers.

"Darien, where are we going?"

"Huh? What?" He was abruptly drawn out of his dream world by the beauty that was sitting next to him. He turned to look at her, skepticism written in her features

"I said, where are we going?"

He gave her a secretive smile before reverting his eyes back to road ahead of him.

"You'll see."

She only pouted and folded her arms across her chest. He looked over at her out of the corner of his eye and gave a good, appreciative chuckle.

"Now, Serena. You don't want me to spoil the surprise, do you?"

"No I suppose not."

"Then just be patient."

About an hour and a half later they pulled up to a tollbooth. Darien fished for his wallet as he handed a rather plump guard a single dollar. The guard leaned out of his window and stared at the young couple.

"Are you bringing anything in here besides yourselves?"

"No sir, we are not"

"Okay then, have a nice day."

Darien pulled through the gate that had lifted up for him and looked over at Serena, who was now staring at him in shock."

"Darien, are we in Canada?"

"Why, yes. As a matter of fact, we are." A smile slowly began spreading across his lips.

"And what, pray tell, are we doing in Canada?"

"You'll see."

She frowned and went back to staring out her side of the car, eliciting another chuckle from Darien. Sometimes that girl was just too darn cute for her own good.

About an hour later, Darien had pulled into a parking lot. He pulled the top up and turned the engine off, looking over at Serena, who was determined not to look at him.

"Serena, in order for this to be special, you have to trust me."

She signed in resignation and nodded. He quickly got out of the car, walking around to her side and opened her door for her. Once she had stepped out of the car, he pulled a bandana out of his pocket and blindfolded her.

"Okay Darien, this really isn't funny."

"Do you trust me?"

She sighed. "I suppose"

"Good. Now hold onto my hand and be prepared.

She held tightly to his hand as he led to her to god knows where. She heard him buy two passes to something, and then she felt herself sitting and going downwards in a very loud and rickety contraption. They walked a little more until Serena stopped at the sound of rushing water. She reached out her hands in front of her and felt a cool, wet surface. She shivered slightly as mist hit her face and arms, clinging to her like a second skin. She felt the blindfold being loosened and then, she breathed in deep as her eyes were uncovered.

And she had never seen such a beautiful sight.

"Welcome to Niagara Falls."

She drank in the sight of the water spilling over the cliff's edge, all white and frothy. She leaned over the edge to get a better look down below. Never had she seen anything as wonderful as what her eyes were witnessing at this moment.

"It's so beautiful."

"I'd figure you'd enjoy it. My dad used to bring me here all the time when I was younger. We'd stay here all day and just watch the falls. Sometimes we'd walk under them."

"Wait…You can walk under them?"

"Yes, you can. See those people over there?" He pointed to a group of small people in tacky yellow ponchos walk along the walkway under the falls. "That's what you do."

"Let's do it then."

"Your wish is my command."

He smiled at her before taking her hand in his and leading her towards the place where the tours would be held. Before she knew it, she was dressed in a tacky yellow poncho and so was Darien and they were making their way along with the rest of the group under the magnificent falls.

They made their way down the rocky pathway and looked across the river through the screen of rushing water, the sound reverberating in Serena's mind. Her face and poncho were quickly becoming damp with the mist coming from the nature made glory in front of them. It was so beautiful.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Darien. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this is."

"Well, it was my pleasure, but the day isn't over yet."

She looked at him, and he had a mischievous grin on his face. He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips before taking her from out of the park.

They were once again on the road, driving away from the nature's wonder. When the approached the road that Serena knew they had come from, Darien made a turn in the opposite direction from the border. They were now zooming past small quaint country type houses.

"Darien, now where are we going?"

"Honestly, Serena. You sound like you've never heard the meaning of the word 'surprise'."

They drove until he reached a dirt road covered in small rocks and pebbles. The road was bumpy, and it jostled Serena about a little until they came to a clearing. Darien parked the car and pulled her out, causing her to run in order to keep up with him. They finally reached sand and when she took in the shock of that she looked up and saw New York(AN: the State) on the other side of the vast lake that was now in front of her. The tide was in small swells, barely even noticeable, and once again, Darien had managed to surprise her.

"Wait here, Serena."

He left her standing on the beach, her arms folded around herself in order to bar herself from the slight breeze that had picked up. Darien returned soon carrying a large wicker basket. He smiled at Serena before walking past her and plunking the basket on the ground. He opened it and pulled out a large blanket, laying it across the sand and then began assembling what seemed to be their lunch.

Serena chuckled. "Well you certainly put in a lot of time and effort into this date. Do you do this often?"

He smiled. "Nope only with the cute ones."

He arranged their meal with great care, opening the assorted Tupperware containers, displaying their lunch for Serena's eyes. She could see a tub full of what seemed to be potato salad and another with grilled chicken. There was also an apple pie along with some pasta.

"Wow, Darien, this looks delicious!"

"Well I worked hard so that it would."

They quickly began eating, Serena partaking in a bit of everything. Once they were full, Serena helped him pack it up. While he was busy taking it back to his car, she slipped off her shoes and walked around the beach, enjoying the feel of the sand beneath her feet. She stood on the very edge of the beach and let the wind carry her hair with it. She stared at the ripples across the surface of the blue green colored water. Only the whistle of the wind could be heard.

"Let's go for a walk."

Serena jumped and turned around and saw Darien standing behind her. He smiled reassuring and turned and began walking with Serena next to him.

"So I've come to realize that I don't know you as well as I'd like to."

"So, whose fault is that, mister?"

"Mine, and I plan to rectify it. What is your full name?"

"Serena Julianne Charmichael. What's yours?"

"Darien Bradford Johnston, but from now I will be asking the questions."

"Yes, sir. What will your next question be?"

"Where did you live before you came to NYC?"

"A small town in North Carolina."

He stopped her and turned in front of her, gripping onto her shoulders.

"What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether or not it warrants a slap."

"I see. I guess I will wait then."

Serena could not describe the feeling that had swelled up inside her when he said that. Was it disappointment? She didn't know.

They continued walking until the heard a distant rumble, signaling the beginning of a storm. They looked at each other and began racing towards Darien's car. The rain had begun falling in sprinkles and by the time they had reached the clearing, it was a full downpour, drenching both of them to the bone. They quickly climbed into Darien's car, shivering slightly as he started it up and drove out of there.

"Don't worry, I know a place we could go."

Not ten minutes later, did he park the car in a driveway in front of what appeared to be a small beach house. Darien jumped out of the car and ran towards the front of the house, with Serena behind him, following suit. Once they both made it inside the dark house, they stared at each other, shivering. Darien smiled at her before grabbing her hands and leading her to the bathroom.

"Here, have a shower to warm you up. I'm gonna go make some hot chocolate. I have some of the stuff that you can wear while you clothes dry."

She smiled in a thank you and disappeared into the shower. Darien brought in an old pair of jeans that had once belonged to him and a large white dress shirt. He laid them on the bathroom counter, careful not to look at Serena in the shower, however tempting it was. He walked into the kitchen and drug out the hot chocolate mix and quickly began fixing two mugs.

He sat in the living room with two hot mugs in hand, and laid them on the coffee table while he changed into something that was a little less wet and more comfortable. Once he returned, he picked up his mug, taking a large swig of it, allowing the warmth to fill him to his bones.

"Hey Darien, whose house is this?"

Darien turned and saw Serena standing before him, wearing only the white dress shirt he had brought for her.

"Uh…It's my parents…where are the pants I gave you?" he asked her, causing both of their faces to flush bright red.

"Oh…well, they were rather large and kept sliding down, so I figured I'd just go without. Not that it matters, because the shirt is long enough to be a dress."

She was right in that matter, but now all he could do was stare at her long shapely legs that had appeared from under the shirt. She sat down, causing the shirt to ride up a bit, and she picked up the other glass of hot chocolate, bringing it to her lips.

"Thank you for making the hot chocolate, Darien."

"You're welcome." He replied as if he were in a trance. All he could do was stare at those long creamy legs that were now exposed for his viewing pleasure. He managed to tear his eyes away for a moment and watch how Serena drank, slowly as if she were trying to savor the taste. She pulled the mug away from her mouth and flicked her small tongue over her lips, which caused Darien's undoing.

He leaned over and grabbed the mug out of her hands and standing it on the table. He turned her head to face him with one finger and stroked the side of her face with his fingertips. He then leaned in and captured her lips with his in a light chaste kiss.

When he felt her respond, he deepened it a bit and bet her fragile body underneath his. He was soft and gentle, kissing her mouth expertly. She had taken to sliding her hands across his shoulders and down his back, which he found to enjoy very much. Once they broke apart, gasping for air, they stared at each other, as if daring the other to speak first.

"I've been wanting to do that all day."

_Well it's finally up! There you guys go, I hope you like it. Please Read and Review! And please point out any errors that I have, I did finish writing this thing at midnight this morning._


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